If you live in the Oxford area, here are maintenance jobs you should complete every fall and winter to prevent costly repairs and keep your home in top condition.
Key maintenance tasks to perform
Clean Your Gutters: Leaving debris in your gutters is an invitation for trouble.
Clean And Put Away Lawn And Garden Equipment: Do a visual inspection of the yard to identify anything lying around that might be damaged by snow and ice and should be brought in for the winter.
Disconnect Hoses And Winterize Lawn Irrigation Systems: Leaving water in any exterior hoses or pipes can cause them to freeze and burst.
Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up: Follow your furnace professional as he works, and ask questions about what he’s doing. The technician should be inspecting filters, chimney exhaust and examining the blower and fuel connections.
Replace Wicks And Air Filters in Your Humidifier: If you use a portable humidifier in winter to mitigate the drying effects of heating, start the season with fresh wicks (the small filters that absorb moisture from the reservoir) and air filters.
Protect Your Air Conditioning Unit: If your outdoor air conditioning unit is located under trees or the drip line of the house where icicles and snow may fall, give it a little protection by placing a sheet of plywood over the top and draping a drop cloth over it.
Close Your Storm Windows: It’s a simple step, but an easy one to forget.
Insulate Pull-Down Staircases For Attics: The openings that accommodate pull-down staircases can cause significant heat loss during winter.
Spending a weekend or two on maintenance can prevent costly repairs and alert you to developing problems.
references: karin beuerlein, houselogic, NAR